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Jeb Bush may be the Republican Partys solution to its deficit among Hispanic voters. But first Bush, who speaks Spanish, is married to a Mexican-American woman and has called illegal immigration an act of love, would have to survive the GOP primary.

How Bush runs as a compassionate and pragmatic-minded ally of the Hispanic community while convincing his partys vocal conservative base that comprehensive immigration reform is a worthy cause will be a central challenge of his increasingly likely campaign for the White House.

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After the 2012 election, which saw GOP nominee Mitt Romney receive just 27 percent of the fast-growing Hispanic vote, top Republicans worried their party could be locked out of the White House for a generation if it didnt improve its standing among minorities. In the previous presidential election, George W. Bush, a former Texas governor, picked up over 40 percent of the Hispanic vote.

Those close to Jeb Bush, a former Florida governor who announced Tuesday that hes actively exploring a presidential run, believe that, like his brother, hed tap into a deep vein of potential Hispanic support in a way few other would-be Republican 2016 hopefuls can. Bush received a majority of that communitys vote in his 1998 and 2002 campaigns for Floridas highest post.

I think Jeb would be a game-changer with Hispanics, said Ana Navarro, a Republican strategist in Florida and a Bush ally. You see, Jeb is not only completely bilingual, he is bi-cultural He has both the cultural sensitivity and a strong lifelong record on issues affecting Hispanics.

In an interview with a Florida TV station Tuesday, Bush expressed confidence that his stance on immigration wouldnt cost him.

You gotta protect the borders, enforce the law, be respectful of the rule of law, and at the same time, be able to encourage young, aspirational people to come to our country. Its a win-win, Bush said. I have no problems advancing that idea.

At a time when many in the GOP including some of Bushs potential primary rivals have adopted a harsh tone in addressing illegal immigration, many in the party regard Bush as a quiet voice who has succeeded in not offending Hispanics.

The tone that he uses, the way he conducts himself, helps him get his point across, said Republican Luis Fortuno, a former Puerto Rico governor. Its a trait he has an ability to put himself in the shoes of his audience.

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On immigration, promise and peril for Bush